Zverev, Jakub Menšík reach French semis

Alexander Zverev and Jakub Menšík moved into the French Open men’s semifinals on Tuesday, June 2, after straight-set wins that left the Paris draw centered on one established contender and one first-time major semifinalist. Zverev, the No. 2 seed, beat 19-year-old Spaniard Rafael Jódar 7-6(3), 6-1, 6-3. Menšík, a 20-year-old from Czechia, followed by beating Brazil’s João Fonseca 6-4, 6-3, 7-6(3) in the night session. The results set up a Friday semifinal between Zverev and Menšík at Roland-Garros. They also extended the tournament’s run of upheaval in the men’s field after Novak Djokovic and Jannik Sinner exited and Carlos Alcaraz withdrew, leaving Zverev as the highest seed remaining in the draw. ### How did Zverev get through Rafael Jódar? Alexander Zverev needed a tiebreak to take the first set, then pulled away quickly against Jódar on Court Philippe-Chatrier. Sky Sports reported the German won 7-6(7-3), 6-1, 6-3, while Roland-Garros said Zverev has now reached at least the semifinals in five of his last six appearances in Paris. Rafael Jódar, 19, had been one of the surprise names left in the men’s draw. But after the opening set tightened, Zverev’s experience showed in the second and third sets as he kept the Spaniard from extending the match. ### What stood out in Menšík’s win over João Fonseca? Jakub Menšík beat João Fonseca 6-4, 6-3, 7-6(3) to reach his first Grand Slam semifinal, according to the official Roland-Garros live report. The Czech player closed the match only after converting his seventh match point. João Fonseca, 19, had been one of the breakout players of the tournament and had carried a large following into the quarterfinal. Roland-Garros said Menšík “dug deep over the closing stages,” while its tournament wrap described him as the steadier player in the deciding tiebreak. ### Why is Zverev now the central figure in the draw? Zverev entered Paris as the No. 2 seed, and the exits of Djokovic and Sinner plus Alcaraz’s withdrawal left him as the top remaining seed in the men’s bracket. Sky Sports described him as the clear favorite left in the field, and France 24 said he stayed on course for a first Grand Slam title. That pressure is not new in Paris. Roland-Garros noted Zverev reached the 2024 final before losing to Alcaraz and has lost three of his four semifinals at the tournament. ### What does Menšík’s run say about the younger group in Paris? Menšík, 20, and Fonseca, 19, met in a quarterfinal that Roland-Garros and other outlets framed as part of the next wave in men’s tennis. Jódar, also 19, had joined them in the last eight, giving the tournament a younger look deep into the second week. The younger players did not all advance, but Menšík’s win kept that storyline alive. His semifinal against Zverev now pairs a first-time major semifinalist against a player with repeated late-stage experience in Paris. ### What happens next in the men’s semifinals? Friday’s semifinal will pit Zverev against Menšík at Roland-Garros. The official tournament report said Zverev had already beaten both Menšík and Fonseca on clay this season before the quarterfinals concluded. Roland-Garros listed Menšík’s victory late Tuesday and said the Czech would return after two days off to face Zverev for a place in the final.